---
title: "65 Years Later: New Mahanadi Gauge Station Set for Shiorinarayan to Fix Critical Flood Data Gap"
url: https://mediathepower.com/65-years-later-new-mahanadi-gauge-station-set-for-shiorinarayan-to-fix-critical-flood-data-gap/
date: 2026-09-22
modified: 2026-09-22
lang: en
author: "Rajiv Singh"
description: "Jharsuguda- After a 65-year hiatus, the Hirakud Dam authorities have issued a tender notice to establish a new gauge station at Shiorinarayan in Chhattisgarh, located in the upper reaches of..."
categories:
  - "News"
image: https://mediathepower.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/mahanadi.jpg
word_count: 218
---

# 65 Years Later: New Mahanadi Gauge Station Set for Shiorinarayan to Fix Critical Flood Data Gap

Jharsuguda- After a 65-year hiatus, the **Hirakud Dam authorities have issued a tender notice** to establish a new gauge station at **Shiorinarayan in Chhattisgarh**, located in the upper reaches of the Mahanadi River.The initiative follows a recent high-level coordination meeting between the Odisha and Chhattisgarh governments aimed at resolving a decades-long water data gap. The original Shiorinarayan gauge station, established in 1961 to track rainfall and water flow, became entirely non-functional after being submerged by a barrage built upstream by Chhattisgarh.

The project will address crucial data gaps that impact flood forecasting for downstream Odisha.

- **Estimated Cost:** ₹38.50 lakh.

- **New Location:** 200 to 300 metres downstream of the existing Chhattisgarh barrage.

- **Deadline:** The application window for the fresh tender closed on the 21st of this month.

While the project is moving forward, former Engineer-in-Chief Er. Rabindra Panda cautioned that standard procedures require assessing local flood conditions for two to three years to ensure the new site yields accurate readings. A similar data blackout persists at **Saradihi**, where a second gauge station remains submerged.

While bureaucratic delays initially slowed progress, Pratap Chandra Choudhury, Chief Engineer of Hirakud Dam and Manager of the Upper Mahanadi Basin, confirmed that a technical report verifying the suitability of the new Saradih site has finally been received, clearing the path for subsequent data-sharing agreements.